Remote control target



J n 10, 1 5 R. MERZ ETAL 2,s3s;309

REMOTE CONTROL TARGET Fi led Dec. 12, 1956 IN V EN TORS'. RUDOLF HERZ By no JOHN M! WAGNER ATTGRIIEY 1 2,838,309 REMOTE CONTROL TARGET Rudolf Merz and John W. Wagner, Rochester, N. Y., as-

sigqiors to Crosman Arms Company, Inc., Fairport, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 12, 1956, Serial No. 627,829 9 Claims. (Cl. 273-4056) This invention relates to targets for pellet guns and i the like, for use on shooting ranges, and particularly on home and indoor ranges.

Target shooting has become increasingly popular in recent years. To make this sport more enjoyable, devices have been provided that are operable directly from the firing station for transporting targets from the firing station to the target area or slug box. These devices enable targets to be placed and replaced by the marksman from his firing station without having to go to the target box itself. In addition to making the sport more enjoyable by eliminating unnecessary trips for the marksman, these remote control devices also increase the safety of target shooting, since there is always the danger of someone being hurt when passing in front of a target, particularly when another person is firing in the area.

The remote control target positioning devices presently available for home and indoor use usually employ a trolley that is movable on a wire that is suspended between the firing station and the target box. Remote control target devices employing trolleys, or other complex devices,.may perform their functions satisfactorily, but are diflicult to manufacture, install, and operate, and are expensive. For this reason, the convenience and increased safety of remote control target devices have not been. available to an appreciable segment of the shooting public.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a remote control target positioning device of simple, inexpensive construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a remote control target positioning device that is made from readily available components so that it is susceptible of simple, inexpensive manufacture, installation, repair and replacement, and suitable for home and indoor me.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a remote control target positioning device that will grasp and release a target sheet almost instantaneously by a mechanism that is easy to operate and of simple construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a remote control target device that will hold a target paper in operative position in front of a target area or target box simply yet accurately, without any complex clamping or positioning mechanism.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment of the invention.

A specific embodiment of the invention that achieves the objects of the invention is shown in the drawings. In the embodiment shown, the remote control target positioning device includes a sheave mounted at the firing station, a pair of sheaves mounted on the target box, a rope or cord passed around the sheaves, a clamp secured to the rope or cord for holding the target sheet, and a resilient wire mounted on the clamp and formed with an arm to press the sheet against the target'box at one end of the travel of the clamp, and with a lower loop that engages the lower reach of the cord to guide the clamp in its travel.

The target box is of conventional construction, and includes a back wall that is inclined rearwardly from the top of the box to a point adjacent the bottom of the box, to deflect pellets or slugs downwardly, and a trap States Patent IJCe Patented June 10, 1958:

to trap in the box the deflected pellets. The target box has an open front face that is bounded by the side walls that is bent to provide a loop through which the lower reach of the rope or cord is threaded, to guide the clamp as it travels between the firing station and the target box. The wire holder may also be provided with a lower arm parallel to the first arm, to engage against the sheet near the lower edge thereof.

In using the device, the marksman clips a sheet of target paper in the paper clamp so that the arm, or arms, of the wire engage against the front face of the paper. The pulley at the firing station is then rotated forward, so that the clamp and the sheet of target paper are caused to travel to the target box. .When the clamp is at the target box, the arm, or arms, resiliently holds, or hold, the target sheet against the upper skirt, or upperand lower skirts, of the target box despite the impactof pellets against the sheet. When a round of shooting has been completed, the sheave at the firing station is rotated backward to cause the clamp to return to the firing station so that the target sheet can be removed and replaced with a fresh sheet.

The details of the invention will be best understood from the following description, considered in conjunction with the drawing. 7

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a remote control target device made according to one embodiment of this invention, showing the clamp and wire holder in an intermediate position of their travel;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the target box showing the clamp and wire holder at one end of their travel with the target sheet held in position against the face of the target box;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation on an enlargedscale of the clamp and wire holder of this embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation on the same scale of this clamp and wire holder, showing, also, parts of the upper and lower reaches of the cord or rope; and

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a wire holder formed according to another embodiment of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, a large diameter sheave or pulley 10 is mounted at a convenient elevation at the firing station by a bracket 11 that is secured by screws 12 to a support 13. A handle 14 is mounted on the sheave 10 for rotating the sheave.

The target box 17 is a sheet metal box of conventional type that has a rear wall 19 that is inclined rearwardly in from the top of the box for the major portion of its height, and that then slopes forwardly adjacent the bottom of the box, and then upwardly from the bottom of the box in the conventional manner to deflect pellets and direct them upwardly against a shelf or trap 21 that is mounted across the front of the box. The box has opposite side walls 16, on one of which the tWo small pulleys 15 are mounted. A depending upper skirt 22 extends.

across the top of the box at the front face thereof. A light bulb 23 is mounted in the box behind the skirt 22 to illuminate the target sheet. A skirt 24 extends across the bottom front face of the box, leaving an open space at the front of the box through which the pellets or slugs pass; then hit the target sheet and pass to the back of the box. The opening in the front of the box is slightly smaller than a standard target sheet. The box is secured by means (not shown) to a support 18 at a desired elevation in the target area.

An endless cord or rope 25 is mounted around the sheaves, and a clamp 30 is secured to the cord. The clamp 30 is a conventional paper clamp having a pan of jaws or wings 32 and a tubular spring member 33. The tubular spring member 33 engages over the jaws 32, and is formed with a pair of parallel axial, slits 35 in the conventional manner. The slits 35 receive and hold the rearwardly projecting reduced ends 36 of the jaws or wings 32. The spring member 33 is also formed with a notch 37 in its top edge, a little to the right of the center, as shown in Fig. 3.

A wire holder 34 is mounted on the clamp. This wire holder 34 is formed from a single piece of resilient spring wire that is bent into a U-shape so as to provide at its lower end a loop 38. The legs of the holder are of different lengths, and the longer leg has a crimp 39 in it mtermediate its ends. At least one of the slits 35 in clamp 30 is formed with a. greater width than normal, to receive the bent portion 39 of the wire therein. At its upper end the wire 34 is formed with a laterally-projecting arm 40 that is adapted to extend horizontally outward from the clamp.

The wire 34 is mounted in the clamp 30 with the two legs of its U-shaped portion inserted between one jaw and the adjacent portion of the tubular spring member 33, and with the crimp 39 engaging in the enlarged axially extending slit 35' in the clamp. The U-shaped portion of the wire is preferably sufficiently long to extend downwardly far enough below the clamp 30 to form a closed guide through which the lower reach of the cord 25 is passed.

The clamp 30 is mounted on the cord 25 by passing an end of the cord into the top of the clamp between one jaw 32 and the adjacent portion of the tubular spring member 33 down to the bottom of the clamp, then across the bottom of the two jaws and back up between the opposite jaw 32 and the adjacent portion of the tubular spring, and out at the top of the clamp, as best shown in Fig. 4. The two ends of the cord or rope are tied together in a knot 41 to provide a taut, endless belt. The knot is preferably abutted against the clamp 30 to insure frictional engagement with the cord and to retain the clamp in its position on the cord.

The clamp is designed to receive a target sheet 42 that may have a bulls-eye and one or more target rings 43 imprinted thereon. The target sheet 42 should be so positioned between the jaws 32 of the clamp that the wire spring arm 40 bears against the upper marginal edge of the target sheet 42.

On the front side of the clamp, the cord is engaged in the notch 37. Since the cord is taut, and since the notch 37 is off-center, the clamp 30 is normally rotated so that the mouth of the clamp and the arm 40 of the wire 34 are faced slightly toward the target box.

In use, a marksman clips a target sheet 42 in the clamp with the arm 40 engaged against the front face of the target sheet adjacent the top thereof, as shown in Fig. 1. The large sheave is then rotated in one direction by the handle 14 to transport the target sheet 42 to the target box 17, where it is disposed over the front opening thereof, as shown in Pig. 2. As the clamp is moved along the upper reach of thecord, the lower reach of the cord travels in the loop 38. Since the cord is taut, the clamp is held in an upright position as it is transported. When the clamp has been carried back on the cord 25 as far as it will go, the arm 40 will press the target sheet against the upper skirt 22 of the target box to hold the target sheet 42 resiliently against the target box. The target is then ready for use, and the target sheet is held in place "QtllIlSt the impact of the slugs that perforate the sheet.

After the desired number of rounds has been fired at the target sheet, the marksman can inspect the target by rotating the sheave 10 in the reverse direction to move the target sheet 42 and the clamp 30 from the target box 17 back to the firing station. There, the target sheet can be replaced by a new sheet if desired.

Various minor modifications may be made in the device within the scope of the invention. Thus, for example, the remote control target illustrated is for right hand use. The device can be converted to left-hand use by mounting the small sheaves 15 on the opposite side wall of the target box, and by reversing the clamping device and the wire spring holder 34, and by repositioning the large sheave 10.

The modified form of wire holder shown in Fig. 5 has an upper arm 40 and a lower arm 46 to press the target sheet, respectively, against the upper skirt 22 and lower skirt 24 of the target box. The crimp 39 is adapted to be placed in the enlarged slit of the clamp, and the lower portion of the wire is formed with a loop 45 to receive the lower reach of the cord 25 to stabilize the clamping device.

While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, then, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any van'ations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim is:

1. In combination with a target box having an open face that is bounded across its top by a skirt, a remote control target positioning device for moving a target sheet between a firing station and said target box comprising a clamp for holding a target sheet along one side marginaledge thereof, a resilient arm mounted on said clamp and extending outwardly therefrom to engage against the upper marginal edge of said target sheet and to hold said target sheet resiliently against said skirt when said clamp is positioned adjacent said target box, and means to transport said clamp to and from said target box.

' 2. In combination with a target box having an open face that is bounded across the top by a skirt, a remote control target positioning device for moving a target sheet between a firing station and said target box comprising a pulley rotatably mounted at the firing station, at least .one additional pulley mounted on said target box, an endless cord mounted to travel over said pulleys, a clamp secured to said cord in a fixed position relative thereto to grip a target sheet along one side marginal edge thereof, and a resilient arm mounted to engage against an upper marginal edge .of said target sheet and to press said sheet against said skirt when the clamp is positioned adjacent the target box.

3. In combination with a target box having sidewalls and an open face that is bounded across the top thereof by a skirt, a remote control target positioning device for moving a target sheet between a firing station and said target box comprising a pulley rotatably mounted at the firing station, at least one additional pulley rotatably mounted on a sidewall of said box, an endless cord mounted to travel over said pulleys for linear movement on rotation thereof, said cord having an upper reach and a lower reach, a clamp secured on the upper reach of said cord for holding a target sheet along one side marginal edge thereof, a resilient wire-mounted on said clamp and having an arm mounted to engage against an upper marginal edge of said target sheet and to hold said target sheet resiliently against said skirt when said clamp is positioned adjacent said box, and means formed on said wire toengage the lower reach of said cord to guide said clamp as it travels between the finng station and the target box.

4. A remote control target holder for conveying a target sheet between a firing station and a target area comprising a pair of pulleys, one of which is mounted at the firing station, and the other of which is mounted at said target area, a cord mounted to travel over said pulleys and having an upper reach and a lower reach, a clamp secured on one reach of said cord to grip a target sheet and to move said sheet upon movement of said cord, said clamp comprising a pair of substantially fiat jaw members and a tubular spring mounted constantly to urge said jaws together and having a pair of parallel, axial slits therein that are angularly spaced from each other, each said jaw having a rearwardly-projecting reduced end passing through one of said axial slits, said spring being mounted with its axis extending vertically, a resilient wire mounted in said spring and having an arm radially extending therefrom in a generally horizontal direction to engage against a target sheet held between said jaws, and a vertical plate mounted at said target area to be engaged by said arm when said clamp is positioned at the target area, said wire being formed with a loop to engage the other reach of said cord.

5. A remote control target holder for conveying a target sheet between a firing station and a target area comprising a pair of pulleys, one of which is mounted at the firing station and the other of which is mounted at said target area, a cord mounted to travel over said pulleys and having an upper reach and a lower reach, a clamp secured on one reach of said cord to grip a target sheet and to move said sheet upon movement of said cord, said clamp comprising a pair of substantially flat jaw members and a tubular spring mounted constantly to urge said jawstogether and having a pair of parallel axial slits therein that are angularly spaced apart, each said jaw having a rearwardly-projecting reduced end passing through one of said axial slits, said spring being mounted with its axis extending vertically, a resilient wire mounted in said spring and having a crimped portion thereof engaged in one of said axial slits to prevent relative axial movement between said wire and said spring, said wire being formed with an arm radially extending therefrom in a generally horizontal direction to engage against a target sheet held between said jaws, and a vertical plate mounted at said target area to be engaged by said arm when said clamp is positioned at the target area, said wire being formed with a loop to engage the other reach of said cord.

6. In combination with a target box having an open face that is bounded across the top thereof by a skirt, a remote control target positioning device for moving a target sheet between a firing station and said target box comprising a clamp for holding a target sheet along one side marginal edge thereof, said clamp having a pair of substantially flat jaw members and a tubular spring mounted constantly to urge said jaws together and having a pair of parallel, spaced axial slits therein, each said jaw member having a rearwardly-projecting reduced end passing through one of said axial slits, a resilient wire mounted on said clamp to engage against the upper marginal edge of said target sheet and positioned to hold said target sheet resiliently against said skirt when said clamp is positioned adjacent said target box, and means to transport said clamp to and from said target box.

7. In combination with a target box having an open face that is bounded across the top thereof by a skirt, a remote control target positioning device for moving a target sheet between a firing station and said target box, said device comprising a pair of coplanar pulleys, one of which is mounted at the firing station, and the other of which is mounted on said target box, a cord mounted to travel over said pulleys and having an upper reach and a lower reach, a clamp secured on one reach of said cord and including jaws for gripping a side marginal edge of said sheet and a tubular spring mounted constantly to urge said jaws together, a resilient arm mounted on said clamp and extending outwardly therefrom to engage against the upper marginal edge of said target sheet and to press said sheet against said skirt when the clamp is positioned adjacent said box, said cord passing within said tubular spring between said spring and said jaws, said spring having a recess in its upper edge in which said cord is engaged, said recess being angularly spaced from the plane of said pulleys to permit said cord to rotate said spring and arm to incline said arm toward said skirt.

8. In combination with a target box having an open face that is bounded across the top thereof by a skirt, a remote control target positioning device for moving a target sheet between a firing station and said box comprising a pair of coplanar pulleys, one of which is mounted at the firing station, and the other of which is mounted on said box, a cord mounted to travel over said pulleys and having an upper reach and a lower reach, a clamp secured to the upper reach of said cord in a fixed position relative thereto and including jaws for gripping a side marginal edge of the target sheet, a tubular spring mounted constantly to urge said jaws together and with its axis extending vertically, and a resilient wire mounted on said clamp and formed at its upper end with an arm that extends radially outward from said spring to press said target sheet against said skirt when said clamp is positioned adjacent said box, said wire being formed at its lower end with a loop through which the lower reach of said cord is passed, the upper reach of said cord having a loop passing within said spring around and under said jaws, said spring having a recess in its upper edge in which said cord is engaged, said recess being angularly spaced from the plane of said pulleys to permit said cord to rotate said spring and arm to incline said arm toward said skirt.

9. In combination with a target box having an open face that is bounded across the top and bottom thereof by upper and lower skirts respectively, a remote control target positioning device for moving a target sheet between a firing station and said target box comprising a pair of pulleys, one of which is mounted at the firing station and the other of which is mounted on the target box, an endless cord mounted to travel over said pulleys and having an upper reach and a lower reach, a clamp secured on the upper reach of said cord and including jaws for grasping a side marginal edge of said target sheet, a tubular spring mounted constantly to urge said jaws together and with its axis extending vertically, a resilient Wire mounted on said clamp and formed at its upper end with an arm that extends radially outward from said spring and formed at its lower end with a circular loop through which the lower reach of said cord is passed and with a second arm parallel to said first arm, said arms being positioned to press the upper and lower margins of said target sheet, respectively, against the upper and lower skirts of said box when said clamp is positioned adjacent said box, said cord having a loop passing within said tubular spring around and under said jaws, said tubular spring having a recess in its upper edge in which said cord is engaged, said recess being angularly spaced from the plane of said pulleys to permit said cord to rotate said spring and arms to incline said arms towards said skirt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,032,060 Hawthorne July 9, 1912 1,727,272 Caswell Sept. 3, 1929 2,013,133 Caswell Sept. 3, 1935 2,538,118 Miller Jan. 16, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 116,175 Switzerland Aug. 2, 1926 

